Manufacturing device and manufacturing method of fuel cell component

ABSTRACT

A manufacturing device of a fuel cell component includes an MEA unwinder on which a fabric panel is rolled. An MEA including an electrolyte membrane and an electrode is disposed on a protective film. The manufacturing device further includes a first hot roller disposed to press an upper sub-gasket supplied to a surface of an edge of the MEA from an upper sub-gasket unwinder, a protective film winder disposed behind the first hot roller and disposed to separate the protective film from the fabric panel, a second hot roller disposed to press the lower sub-gasket supplied to another surface of the edge of the MEA from the lower sub-gasket unwinder, and an MEA winder winding the MEA to which the upper sub-gasket and the lower sub-gasket are attached, in a roll shape.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

The application claims priority to and the benefit of Korean PatentApplication No. 10-2016-0026658 filed in the Korean IntellectualProperty Office on Mar. 4, 2016, the entire contents of which areincorporated herein by reference.

BACKGROUND

(a) Field of the Disclosure

The present disclosure relates to a fuel cell and, more particularly, toa manufacturing device and a manufacturing method of a fuel cellcomponent that continuously rolls and bonds a lower sub-gasket and anupper sub-gasket to an MEA that is supplied in a roll state.

(b) Description of the Related Art

A membrane-electrode assembly (MEA) that is a main component ispositioned at the inmost side in a polymer electrolyte fuel cell andcatalytic layers for an anode and a cathode are positioned at both sidesof an electrolyte membrane as a center, which is called a 3-layermembrane-electrode assembly.

Further, a state when gas diffusion layers (GDLs) are further stackedoutside the catalytic layers is called a 5-layer membrane-electrodeassembly.

The membrane-electrode assembly further includes a sub-gasket other thanthe polymer electrolyte membrane and the catalytic layers (electrodes)positioned at both sides of the polymer electrolyte membrane, and thesub-gasket makes handling of the membrane-electrode assembly easy and isbonded thicker than the thicknesses of the catalytic layers (electrodes)in edge areas of both sides of the polymer electrolyte membrane, andpolymer films such as inert PE and PEN are generally used.

When a separating plate having flow fields for supplying fuel to theoutside of the gas diffusion layers of the membrane-electrode assemblyconfigured as described above and discharging water produced by areaction is stacked, it becomes one unit cell, and when a plurality ofunit cells is stacked, it becomes a desired-sized fuel cell stack.

As methods of manufacturing the membrane-electrode assembly, there is amethod of making a 5-layer membrane-electrode assembly through a CCG(Catalyst Coated on GDL) method that directly applies catalytic layersfor an anode and a cathode to the gas diffusion layer and bonds them toa polymer electrolyte membrane, whereas there is a method of making a3-layer membrane-electrode assembly through a CCM (Catalyst Coated onMembrane) method that directly applies catalytic layers for an anode anda cathode to a polymer electrolyte membrane.

According to the CCS (Catalyst Coated on Substrate) or the CCG (CatalystCoated on GDL) method that directly applies catalytic layers on a gasdiffusion layer, catalytic layers for an anode and a cathode aredirectly applied to a gas diffusion layer and then the catalytic layerand a polymer electrolyte membrane are bonded by thermal pressurebonding, whereby a 5-layer membrane-electrode assembly can bemanufactured.

In contrast, according to the CCM (Catalyst Coated on Membrane) methodthat directly applied catalytic layers to a polymer electrolytemembrane, it is possible to manufacture a 3-layer membrane-electrodeassembly by directly applying catalytic layers for an anode and acathode to a polymer electrolyte membrane, but there is a need for aspecific process of stacking a gas diffusion layer on the catalyticlayers and bonding them by pressing.

That is, the CCM method requires a process of bonding a gas diffusionlayer to catalytic layers when putting a 3-layer membrane-electrodeassembly into a stack manufacturing process stacking a plurality ofcells using automatic equipment after manufacturing the 3-layermembrane-electrode assembly in which catalytic layers are directlyapplied to a membrane-electrode assembly, that is, a polymer electrolytemembrane.

Meanwhile, a roll method of loading an MEA on a lower sub-gasket film,attaching an upper sub-gasket film to it, and pressing them may beapplied, but productivity may be decreased by a process of loading athin electrode membrane.

Further, a roll method of attaching and pressing a lower sub-gasket filmand an upper sub-gasket film to the upper and lower sides of anelectrode membrane film may be applied, but a loss of input of anelectrolyte membrane is large, productivity is high though, so themanufacturing cost may be increased.

The Description of the Related Art is made to help understanding thebackground of the present invention and may include matters out of therelated art known to those skilled in the art.

SUMMARY

The present disclosure has been made in an effort to provide amanufacturing device and a controlling method of a fuel cell componenthaving advantages of being able to increase productivity by reducing aprocess of loading an electrode membrane and decrease the manufacturingcost by reducing a loss of an electrolyte membrane.

As described above, a manufacturing device of a fuel cell componentaccording to an exemplary form of the present disclosure may include: anMEA unwinder on which a fabric panel, in which an MEA including anelectrolyte membrane and an electrode is disposed on a protective film,is rolled; an upper sub-gasket unwinder on which an upper sub-gasket tobe attached to a surface of the edge of the MEA is rolled; a first hotroller disposed to press the upper sub-gasket supplied to a surface ofthe edge of the MEA from the upper sub-gasket unwinder; a protectivefilm winder disposed behind the first hot roller and disposed toseparate the protective film from the fabric panel; a lower sub-gasketunwinder on which a lower sub-gasket to be attached to another surfaceof the edge of the MEA is rolled; a second hot roller disposed to pressthe lower sub-gasket supplied to another surface of the edge of the MEAfrom the lower sub-gasket unwinder; and an MEA winder winding the MEA towhich the upper sub-gasket and the lower sub-gasket are attached, in aroll shape.

The device may further include: an electrolyte membrane roll cutterdisposed behind the MEA unwinder and disposed to cut an edge area of theelectrolyte membrane from a fabric panel supplied from the MEA unwinder;and a scrap winder restoring an electrolyte membrane scrap cut by theelectrolyte membrane roll cutter in a roll shape.

The MEA may include: a polymer electrolyte membrane; and electrodemembranes formed at center portions of a surface and another surface ofthe electrolyte membrane, and the protective film may be disposed on theexterior surface of one of the electrode membranes.

The electrolyte membrane roll cutter may cut a preset area of the edgeof the electrolyte membrane except the electrode membranes.

The upper sub-gasket may be pressed to the exterior surface of the edgeof one of the electrode membranes and a surface of the electrolytemembrane, and the lower sub-gasket may be pressed to the exteriorsurface of another one of the electrode membranes, another surface ofthe electrolyte membrane, and the upper sub-gasket.

The device may further include a feeding conveyer disposed behind theelectrolyte membrane roll cutter and moving the fabric panel from theMEA unwinder to the MEA rewinder.

Roll cutters for roll-cutting the upper sub-gasket and the lowersub-gasket in preset shapes may be disposed behind the upper sub-gasketunwinder and the lower sub-gasket unwinder, respectively.

According to another exemplary form of the present disclosure, amanufacturing method of a fuel cell component may include: supplying afabric panel in which an MEA is formed on a protective film;roll-cutting a preset area of the edge of the electrolyte membrane ofthe MEA and removing a cut scrap; attaching an upper sub-gasket to theelectrolyte membrane, on an opposite side to the protective film, andpressing the upper sub-gasket at a preset temperature; removing theprotective film after the upper sub-gasket is pressed; and attaching alower sub-gasket to correspond to the upper sub-gasket after theprotective film is removed, and pressing the lower sub-gasket at apreset temperature.

In the supplying of a fabric panel, the fabric panel wound on an MEAunwinder in a roll shape may be unwound and supplied.

The upper sub-gasket and the lower sub-gasket may be pressed using a hotroller.

In order to attach the upper sub-gasket and the lower sub-gasket to theelectrolyte membrane, the upper sub-gasket wound on an upper sub-gasketunwinder in a roll shape may be unwound and supplied, and the lowersub-gasket wound on a lower sub-gasket unwinder in a roll shape may beunwound and supplied.

The upper sub-gasket supplied from the upper sub-gasket unwinder and thelower sub-gasket supplied from the lower sub-gasket unwinder may be cutin preset shapes using roll cutters, respectively.

An edge area of the electrolyte membrane may be roll-cut using a rollcutter, and a scrap of the electrolyte membrane may be wound and storedin a roll shape using a scrap winder.

The MEA may include: a polymer electrolyte membrane; and electrodemembranes formed at center portions of a surface and another surface ofthe electrolyte membrane, and the protective film may be disposed on theexterior surface of one of the electrode membranes.

The upper sub-gasket may be pressed to the exterior surface of the edgeof one of the electrode membranes and a surface of the electrolytemembrane, and the lower sub-gasket may be pressed to the exteriorsurface of another one of the electrode membranes, another surface ofthe electrolyte membrane, and the upper sub-gasket.

In forms of the present disclosure, an MEA fabric panel is continuouslysupplied in a state when an electrode membrane (MEA) is attached on aprotective film, so a process of loading an MEA is removed, andaccordingly, productivity can be increased.

Further, a loss of a scrap formed on an electrolyte membrane isminimized and restored, so that the manufacturing cost can be reduced,and production efficiency can be improved by bonding an MEA to an uppersub-gasket and a lower sub-gasket through a roll-to-roll process.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram showing a manufacturingdevice of a fuel cell component.

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view showing a state when an MEA is attachedto a protective film in a fuel cell component.

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view showing a state when an MEA is attachedto a protective film and an electrolyte membrane is cut in a fuel cellcomponent.

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view showing a state when a protective filmis removed and an upper sub-gasket is attached to an MEA in a fuel cellcomponent.

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view showing a state when an uppersub-gasket and a lower sub-gasket are attached to an MEA in a fuel cellcomponent.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing a manufacturing method of a fuel cellcomponent.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Hereinafter, exemplary forms of the present disclosure will be describedin detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

The sizes and thicknesses of the configurations shown in the drawingsare provided selectively for the convenience of description, such thatthe present disclosure is not limited to those shown in the drawings andthe thicknesses are exaggerated to make some parts and regions clear.

The unrelated parts to the description of the exemplary forms are notshown to make the description clear and like reference numeralsdesignate like elements throughout the specification.

Using the terms of the first and the second, and upper and lower etc. isfor discriminating the components having the same name and they are notlimited to the orders and positions.

FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram showing a manufacturingdevice of a fuel cell component.

Referring to FIG. 1, a manufacturing device of a fuel cell componentincludes an MEA unwinder 111, an electrolyte membrane roll cutter 106, ascrap winder 116, an electrode membrane 100, an electrolyte membrane105, a protective film 110, an electrolyte membrane scrap 105 a, afeeding conveyer 120, an upper sub-gasket 125, an upper sub-gasketunwinder 126, a first hot roller 130, a protective film winder 112, alower sub-gasket 127, a lower sub-gasket unwinder 129, a second hotroller 140, and an MEA winder 150.

An MEA is attached on the protective film 110 and the MEA includes theelectrolyte membrane 105 and the electrode membrane 100. Refer to FIG. 2for the detailed structure.

An MEA fabric panel in which the MEA is attached to the protective film110 is wound in a roll shape on the MEA unwinder 111 and the MEAunwinder 111 continuously supplies the fabric panel in the flowdirection of a process.

The electrolyte membrane roll cutter 106 is disposed behind the MEAunwinder 111, the electrolyte membrane roll cutter 106 cuts a presetedge area of the electrolyte membrane 105 formed on the MEA, and the cutelectrolyte membrane scrap 105 a is wound in a roll shape and restoredon the scrap winder 116.

The feeding conveyer 120 is disposed behind the electrolyte membraneroll cutter 106. Refer to FIG. 3 for the MEA fabric panel passing thefeeding conveyer 120.

The first hot roller 130 is disposed behind the feeding conveyer 120 andthe upper sub-gasket 125 is additionally supplied ahead of the first hotroller 130.

The upper sub-gasket 125 is wound in a roll shape on the uppersub-gasket unwinder 126, the upper sub-gasket unwinder 126 continuouslysupplies the upper sub-gasket 125 to an inlet of the first hot roller130, and the upper sub-gasket roll cutter (reference number is notshown) roll-cuts the upper sub-gasket 125 in a preset shape.

The roll-cut upper sub-gasket 125 is attached to an opposite uppersurface of the protective film 110 in the MEA fabric panel.

The first hot roller 130 presses the upper sub-brackets 125 to the MEAat a preset temperature. Refer to FIG. 4 for the state when the uppersub-gasket 125 is pressed on the upper surface of the MEA.

Further, the protective film winder 112 takes off the protective film110 from the MEA fabric panel and winds it in a roll shape behind thefirst hot roller 130.

The lower sub-gasket 127 is wound in a roll shape on the lowersub-gasket unwinder 129 and the lower sub-gasket unwinder 129continuously supplies the lower sub-gasket 127 to the lower surface ofthe MEA fabric panel in order to attach the lower sub-gasket 127 to thelower surface of the MEA fabric panel from which the protective film 110is separated.

Further, the lower sub-gasket roll cutter (reference numeral is notshown) roll-cuts the lower sub-gasket 127 in a preset shape and suppliesit to an inlet of the second hot roller 140.

Further, the second hot roller 140 presses the lower sub-gasket 127 tothe MEA fabric panel at a preset temperature. Refer to FIG. 5 for thestate when the lower sub-gasket 127 is pressed on the lower surface ofthe MEA.

The MEA winder 150 winds the MEA to which the upper sub-gasket 125 andthe lower sub-gasket 127 are attached and stores it in a roll shape.

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view showing a state when an MEA is attachedto a protective film in a fuel cell component.

Referring to FIG. 2, an MEA is attached on the protective film 110 andthe MEA includes the electrolyte membrane 105 and the electrode membrane100.

The electrode membranes 100 are arranged with preset intervals (or withspace) on the protective film 110, the electrolyte membrane 105 iscontinuously formed thereon, and other electrode membranes are formedwith preset intervals on the electrolyte membrane 105.

Accordingly, the electrolyte membranes 100 are formed at the centerportions of a surface and another surface of the electrolyte membrane105 and the edge of the electrolyte membrane 105 extends to a side tohave a protruding structure.

Further, the protective film 110 is attached to the lower surfaces ofthe electrode membranes 100 disposed on the lower surface. As shown, theprotective film 110 and the electrolyte membrane 105 are formed in thesame area.

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view showing a state when an MEA is attachedto a protective film and an electrolyte membrane is cut in a fuel cellcomponent.

Referring to FIG. 3, the protruding length of the electrolyte membrane105 is shortened by cutting and removing an edge end of the electrolytemembrane 105. Herein, the electrolyte membrane 105 is cut by theelectrolyte membrane roll cutter 106, separated by the scrap winder 116,and restored in a roll shape.

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view showing a state when a protective filmis removed and an upper sub-gasket is attached to an MEA in a fuel cellcomponent.

Referring to FIG. 4, in a state when the protective film 110 is removed,the upper sub-gasket 125 is bonded to the exterior surface edges andsides of the electrode membranes 100 disposed at the upper portion andthe upper surface of the electrolyte membrane 105.

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view showing a state when an upper gasketand a lower sub-gasket are attached to an MEA in a fuel cell component.

Referring to FIG. 5, in a state when the upper sub-gasket 125 isattached to the upper surface of the edges, the lower sub-gasket 127 isbonded to the exterior surface edges and sides of the electrodemembranes 100 disposed at the lower portion and the lower surface of theelectrolyte membrane 105, and the lower sub-gasket 127 is bonded to theupper sub-gasket 125.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing a manufacturing method of a fuel cellcomponent.

Referring to FIG. 6, according to a manufacturing method of a fuel cellcomponent, in S600, the MEA unwinder 111 continuously supplies a fabricpanel in which the MEA is attached to the protective film 110.

In S610, the electrolyte membrane roll cutter 106 cuts a preset area ofthe edge of the electrolyte membrane 105 from the fabric panel and thescrap winder 116 separates the cut scrap from the fabric panel bypulling it and stores it in a roll shape.

In S620, the upper sub-gasket unwinder 126 supplies the upper sub-gasket125 to the upper surface of the fabric panel, the sub-gasket roll cuttercuts and removes an unnecessary portion, and the upper sub-gasket 125 ofwhich the unnecessary portion is removed is attached to the uppersurface of the fabric panel.

Further, in S630, the first hot roller 130 presses the upper sub-gasket125 to the upper surface of the fabric panel. Here, the upper sub-gasket125 is attached to the edge of a surface of the electrode membrane 100,and the upper surface of the electrolyte membrane 105.

In S640, the protective film winder 112 separates the protective film110 attached to the lower portion of the fabric panel by pulling it andstores it in a roll shape.

In S650, the lower sub-gasket unwinder 129 supplies the lower sub-gasket127 to the lower surface of the fabric panel, the sub-gasket roll cuttercuts and removes an unnecessary portion, and the lower sub-gasket 127 ofwhich the unnecessary portion is removed is attached to the lowersurface of the fabric panel.

Further, in S660, the second hot roller 140 presses the lower sub-gasket127 to the lower surface of the fabric panel. Here, the lower sub-gasket127 is attached to the edge of a surface of the electrode membrane 100and the lower surface of the electrolyte membrane 105, and is alsobonded to the upper sub-gasket 125.

Further, in S670, the MEA winder 150 winds and stores in a roll shapethe MEA to which the upper sub-gasket 125 and the lower sub-gasket 127are attached.

While this disclosure has been described in connection with what ispresently considered to be practical exemplary forms, it is to beunderstood that the disclosure is not limited to the disclosed forms,but, on the contrary, is intended to cover various modifications andequivalent arrangements included within the spirit and scope of theappended claims.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS

100: electrode membrane 111: MEA unwinder

106: electrolyte membrane roll cutter 116: scrap winder

105 a: electrolyte membrane scrap 120: feeding conveyer

125: upper sub-gasket 126: upper sub-gasket unwinder

112: protective film winder 130: first hot roller

127: lower sub-gasket 129: lower sub-gasket unwinder

140: second hot roller 150: MEA winder

What is claimed is:
 1. A manufacturing device of a fuel cell component,comprising: a membrane electrode assembly (MEA) unwinder on which afabric panel, in which an MEA including an electrolyte membrane and anelectrode is disposed on a protective film, is rolled; an uppersub-gasket unwinder on which an upper sub-gasket to be attached to asurface of an edge of the MEA is rolled; a first hot roller disposed topress the upper sub-gasket supplied to a surface of the edge of the MEAfrom the upper sub-gasket unwinder; a protective film winder disposedbehind the first hot roller and disposed to separate the protective filmfrom the fabric panel; a lower sub-gasket unwinder on which a lowersub-gasket to be attached to another surface of the edge of the MEA isrolled; a second hot roller disposed to press the lower sub-gasketsupplied to another surface of the edge of the MEA from the lowersub-gasket unwinder; and an MEA winder winding the MEA to which theupper sub-gasket and the lower sub-gasket are attached, in a roll shape.2. The device of claim 1, further comprising: an electrolyte membraneroll cutter disposed behind the MEA unwinder and disposed to cut an edgearea of the electrolyte membrane from a fabric panel supplied from theMEA unwinder; and a scrap winder restoring an electrolyte membrane scrapcut by the electrolyte membrane roll cutter in a roll shape.
 3. Thedevice of claim 2, wherein: the MEA includes: a polymer electrolytemembrane; and electrode membranes formed at center portions of a surfaceand another surface of the electrolyte membrane, and the protective filmis disposed on an exterior surface of one of the electrode membranes. 4.The device of claim 2, wherein: the electrolyte membrane roll cuttercuts a preset area of the edge of the electrolyte membrane except theelectrode membranes.
 5. The device of claim 3, wherein: the uppersub-gasket is pressed to an exterior surface of the edge of one of theelectrode membranes and a surface of the electrolyte membrane, and thelower sub-gasket is pressed to an exterior surface of the edge ofanother one of the electrode membranes, another surface of theelectrolyte membrane, and the upper sub-gasket.
 6. The device of claim3, further comprising: a feeding conveyer disposed behind theelectrolyte membrane roll cutter and moving the fabric panel from theMEA unwinder to a MEA rewinder.
 7. The device of claim 3, wherein: rollcutters for roll-cutting the upper sub-gasket and the lower sub-gasketin preset shapes are disposed behind the upper sub-gasket unwinder andthe lower sub-gasket unwinder, respectively.